Conservation Issue Reveals Social Media Influence: Thai Editorial

EDITORIAL

Conservation issue reveals social media influence

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- With rebuilding work going on at the Supreme Court compound, public pressure is mounting for preservation of historic structures at the site

Commentators on the social media have flexed their muscles again. This time, politics has little to do with the discussion, although the subject of their attention at the moment is the judiciary, which somehow always figures in Thailand's political turmoil.

The current contentious issue is over certain structures inside the Supreme Court's compound, which has been earmarked for renovation and "improvement", prompting uproar from conservationists. Thanks to concerns voiced on Facebook, Twitter and the message boards of news websites, the government's Fine Arts Department has stepped in to address concern over the fate of historical buildings in the area.

The bad news is that construction workers keep on working inside and around the compound, despite the controversy. The good news is that the existence of the social media ensures that the public quickly became aware of the issue as it happened. In the past, we would have needed hard-line activists to inform newspapers about how important the historical buildings were, and to organise protests that probably would have brought together 20 banner-waving people. If they were lucky, the government would react, but we could never count on that to happen.

Today, conservationists don't need to gather at the Supreme Court in order to put the story of historical and architectural merit on the front pages. Even before the intention to make "interior improvements" became clear, the social media had picked up on the issue, and the rest is also history.

You might call some of the commentators on the social media paranoid, but credit must be given where due. The Fine Arts Department has stuck its neck out, vowing to fight what might prove to be a losing battle. The Office of the Judiciary has also reacted, with a special panel being set up to seek public opinion on the construction of a new building for the Supreme Court. The creation of a new Facebook page on the subject has been ordered.

According to conservationists, the existing buildings under threat were constructed in 1939 to mark a significant milestone in Thailand's judicial history - the so-called return of "complete judicial independence" in 1938. In the eyes of many, the Kingdom lost some of its judicial independence during the reign of King Rama V when it signed the Bowring Treaty with Britain. One building, with a statue of the Father of Thai Law out front, and another on the Lod Canal, are registered national historical buildings and have received several awards, including from the Association of Siamese Architects.

Moreover, they were constructed in the modern style, reflecting a new ideology at a time when the country was ushering in a form of democracy. "These buildings are not simply where judges work. The buildings have much relevance to Thai politics and society in the modern era," said one online statement - not from any official report but an ordinary Facebook user.

Will the social media's power eventually save the historical integrity of the Supreme Court compound? The construction of the Court's new office is going ahead despite public concern that it will endanger at least one of the two national historical buildings. A check on the construction site on Rajdamnoen Avenue shows workers are removing parts of the roof and wall of an historic building that previously housed the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court. This building, according to the Fine Arts Department, must be conserved alongside the building for the Office of the Judiciary - the one with the statue of HRH Prince Rabi Badhanasakdi, Prince of Rajaburi. As of last Friday, it seemed only the latter building would be kept.

Whatever happens, conservationists have found a solid platform to campaign for their cause. The Supreme Court fight is a warning to all that the social media's power will only get stronger. Values - whether in solid or abstract forms - now have a good, new ally.

-- The Nation 2012-12-25